University Hospital’s problems festered because of leadership void — and now the CEO’s job is vacant

The veteran hospital executive who just finished studying the management and economic problems at University Hospital in Newark for the past four months is the Murphy administration’s pick to become its temporary CEO.

As a public hospital heavily reliant on state funding, the governor and state Legislature wield authority over University, but it is up to the board to approve a temporary CEO and ultimately a permanent replacement.

Phone calls to Tanya Freeman, chairwoman of the hospital board, went unreturned. In a statement released Monday night, Freeman said the board would reconvene Thursday to name a short-term replacement.